Select the most appropriate degree of comparison to fill in the blank.
Many ornithologists believe that the northern mocking birds are __________ wild birds in the jungle.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. the noisiest.
Context: The sentence is making a comparison suggesting that among all wild birds, northern mocking birds stand out for their noise level. This indicates a superlative degree is required.
Meaning of the options:
Noisy – Positive degree (general quality, no comparison).
Noisier – Comparative degree (compares two entities).
The noisy – Incorrect article-adjective combination.
The noisiest – Superlative degree (indicates the highest degree of a quality among many).
Correct word: The noisiest
Reason: The phrase 'among wild birds in the jungle' implies comparison with all other birds, so the superlative form “the noisiest” is appropriate.
Final Sentence: Many ornithologists believe that the northern mocking birds are the noisiest wild birds in the jungle.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.